An examination of the role of national culture as a factor influencing the decision-making process of students from Greece, Albania and FYROM choosing to join Perrotis college

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation was to provide Perrotis College with basic analytical marketing tool on which it can base its marketing and promotion policies in the geographical areas of Greece, Albania and the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The achievement of the aim was attempted via two questionnaires distributed to fifty-five students studying at Perrotis College (coming from the above stated countries), and a multi level explanatory model, developed by the researcher. The model provided profiles of four groups of students who were classified according to their extent of searching for advice and their level of acceptance of the advice, while they were choosing a university level program/ institution. As an explanatory model, it aims to show a profile of students who study at Perrotis College. Thus four students' profiles were outlined: "resigned decision-makers","conscious group followers". "opinioned followers", and "reluctant decision-makers". Limitations of this dissertation appear to be the sample size, which does not allow broad generalization of the findings, and the degree to which students base their final decision on financial grounds, which might have had high influence on the findings. The originality if this study is that there are few studies which try to tackle the decision-making process of the prospective international students from a cultural point of view. This dissertation contributes to bridging that gap.